Gamecocks Host Presbyterian in Mid-Week Matchup

COLUMBIA, S.C.  – Coming off SEC opening weekend, the South Carolina softball team hosts Presbyterian for a mid-week contest Wednesday (Mar. 15) at 6p.m., inside the Carolina Softball Stadium at Beckham Field. The Gamecocks and in-state foe Blue Hose have not met since the 2017 season.

South Carolina Gamecocks 22-4, 1-2 SEC
Coach: Beverly Smith | 13th Season
AVG Leader: .407 | Brooke Blankenship
RBI Leader: 23 | Riley Blampied
Home Run Leader: 5 | Jordan Fabian
ERA Leader: 1.61 | Donnie Gobourne
Strikeout Leader: 69 | Donnie Gobourne
Wins Leader: 5 | Four Tied

Series History: South Carolina leads 7-0
Last Meeting: South Carolina 14, Presbyterian 0 | February 12, 2017 | Columbia, S.C.

Presbyterian Blue Hose 17-5, 0-0 Big South
Coach: David Williams | 3rd Season
AVG Leader: .370 | Kendall Owens
RBI Leader: 17 | Morgan Hess
Home Run Leader: 7 | Morgan Hess
ERA Leader: 0.96 | Jenna Greene
Strikeout Leader: 89 | Jenna Greene
Wins Leader: 7 | Jenna Greene

LEADING OFF

• The 2023 season will be the 50th season of Carolina Softball.
• The Gamecocks are 25th in the most recent RPI.
• Carolina is off to its best start since 2018.
• Head coach Bev Smith earned her 400th career win last Thursday against UNC.
  • She became the 29th active head coach in Division I to amass 400 career victories while only coaching at one school.
• The Gamecock offense ranks 12th in the country in scoring per game (6.96 runs).
• As a team, Carolina leads the SEC in doubles (44) and are eighth in the nation.
  • They also lead the SEC in stolen bases per game (2.50) and fielding percentage (.982)
• In the nation, they are 22nd in doubles per game (1.69) and 11th in walks (98), 10th in on-base% (.428), 16th in winning percentage, 13th in stolen bases per game, sixth in fielding and 21st in slugging (.537), and 25th in K’s-BB (3.52).
• Donnie Gobourne leads the nation in strikeouts per 7 innings (13.9). She also ranks 53rd in total strikeouts with 69.
  • Her four saves rank fourth in the nation and first in the SEC.
  • She also ranks 96th in ERA (1.62) and 97th in hits per 7 (4.85)
• Jen Cummings leads the nation in total HBP (13) and is second in per game (0.50).
  • She ranks among the NCAA leaders in four different categories.
  • She is ninth in the nation in on-base% (.588).
  • She ranks 83rd in walks per game (0.65) and 120th in slugging % (.691)
• Marissa Gonzalez rank 23rd in the nation in total doubles (8).
  • Gonzalez ranks 92nd in the nation in doubles per game (0.32).
• Karsen Ochs ranks 30th in the nation in strikeout-to-walk ratio (7.75) and 34th in walks per 7 innings (0.79)
• Against Mercer (Feb. 24), the Gamecocks hit back-to-back-to-back home runs for the first time under Bev Smith.
• Against Tennessee Tech (Feb. 25), the Gamecocks hit four home runs, which were the most since 2020.
  • The 21 runs scored against TTU were the most since 2016.
• Haley Simpson hit a home run against WKU (Feb. 19), her first home run in nearly three years (1,086 days) after missing the last two seasons due to injury.
• The Gamecocks played five consecutive days (Feb. 15-19) for only the second time in program history. They played six straight days in 1987 (March 10-15; 14 games).
• The roster features 25 total players, with of seven different states represented.

OUCH…THAT HURT!

• The Gamecocks have three players listed among the current active NCAA leaders in hit by pitches.
• Natalie Morgan ranks 15th in DI and 31st overall with 34.
• Jordan Fabian ranks 18th in DI and 36th among all Divisions with 33.
• Jen Cummings ranks 24th in DI I with 29.

JUST WALK ON BY…

• Jordan Fabian ranks 36th among active career leaders in Division I for walks with 79.

IT’S GOOD TO BE HOME

• For the third straight season, South Carolina is set for over 30 home games. Carolina will host 31 home contests, including the Gamecock Invitational and Carolina Classic.
• They will play just six non-conference road games for the second straight season and play eight neutral site games. The schedule also includes 12 road SEC games.

IF YOU BUILD IT, THEY WILL COME

• South Carolina is 233-113 (.673) at home during the Beverly Smith era, which includes a 4-1 record at home while hosting a regional at Carolina Softball Stadium at Beckham Field.
• Carolina has finished .500 or better at home eight of Beverly Smith’s 12 years.
• Prior to 2021, South Carolina had not lost double digit games at home in seven years and has won 20 or more six of the past seven seasons (2020 included).

NON-CONFERENCE SUCCESS IS NOTHING NEW FOR SC

• South Carolina is 237-61 (.795) over the past eight years in games outside the SEC. Notable wins include Texas, Penn State, Houston, Arizona State, North Carolina, Florida State, California, Virginia Tech, USF, Long Beach State, Hofstra, Liberty, and UCF.
• Carolina had won 26-straight non-conference games (regular season) before a loss to Texas Tech in the second weekend of the 2020 season.

CAROLINA RUNS THIS STATE

• Under the direction of head coach Beverly Smith, Carolina owns a 80-10 mark against other Palmetto State schools.
• That mark includes a 31-game winning streak that stretched over five seasons before Coastal snapped the streak in 2017.
• South Carolina went 7-2 last season against in-state foes.

For the latest on South Carolina Softball, visit GamecocksOnline.com or follow the team’s social media accounts on Twitter @GamecockSoftbll, Facebook /GamecockSoftball, and Instagram @GamecockSoftball.